The Lee Family Digital Archive is the largest online source for primary source materials concerning the Lee family of Virginia. It contains published and unpublished items, some well known to historians, others that are rare or have never before been put online. We are always looking for new letters, diaries, and books to add to our website. Do you have a rare item that you would like to donate or share with us? If so, please contact our editor, Colin Woodward, at (804) 493-1940, about how you can contribute to this historic project.

Lee Family Digital Archive

Baltimore 22d August [ca.1851]

My dear Abbey

Your box arrived safely & should have been acknowledged before but you know often what trivial matters occasion delays in writing we have not opened the tamarind but the papayas are very nice we have all had a taste of them Mother is here & will write about her seeds & roots I wish indeed you could have brought them in person & been here with us all tho you would have found Baltimore very dull after Saratoga - All the elites are not out of town or invisible & we have a very quiet time with a few neighbors Custis is at West Point tho' I have all the others here now, Mary has grown so much she is quite a woman in appearance tho' just 15 she will resume her school in September. I hope Mother will make me a very long visit I have got a German to give Annie nine lessons while she stays here. Father has not made me a visit yet but I hope he will do so before Mother leaves - Tell Caroline Capt Foster always enquires particularly for her & sends her many long messages which indeed I do not recollect It is rumored that his engagement is again broken off but I do not pretend to understand the affair - Capt Ewell has gone to California Do you recollect Louis Cazenove the widower He is engaged to a young cousin of mine Harriet Stuart They will be married in October He is building himself a nice house in Alexr What are your matrimonial prospects now what has become of that acquaintance we never could find out anything about him. How does the house progress in Saratoga? I suppose you will not occupy it before next Summer - Mr Lee went off to Sollers at <Gov> I am sure he would have some messages to send - he has not been rite yet & I hope now he may escape You & Caroline must write & tell us all the news of Saratoga & what your plans are & when I may hope to have a visit from you - If any of you visit West Point at anytime you must recollect Custis is there He is doing very well so far not a single demerit - but he has only been in camp has not commenced his studies. We begin to feel quite patriarchial with our sons & daughters growing up around us. Tell your papa I shall now rival him - I have nothing of any interest to tell you & the domestic news has all been detailed. Has your sister Mary come to reside in "The States" & where will she locate herself & how is the young one? I suppose your sister in law Mrs Peters has half a dozen by this time Remember me to her & to Helen to your Father & Mother & believe me ever

yrs most truly

M C Lee

Tell Caroline she has not answered my last letter or did she get it It was directed to New York